


Reflecting in the Water

by Yotsubadancesintherain5



Category: Moana (2016), Mulan (1998)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Discussions of War, Discussions of death, Gen, Ghosts, Guidance, Short One Shot, ghost can change their physical appearance in terms of age, moana spoilers, old lady friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-03 06:14:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8700634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yotsubadancesintherain5/pseuds/Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: Life is like the ocean.





	

All through her life, Grandmother Fa had a friend who wasn't her age. Or her age technically. This friend was a ghost, so it made things somewhat complicated to figure out.

She had first met this friend when she was a small girl, toddling around a lake. She had been startled by the corporeal little girl but curiosity won out. If Grandmother Fa had been older she would have lamented the presence of the ghost, for someone who had died so young.

But it was not so. As Grandmother Fa grew, so did Tala. Tala was kind and mischievous and would show Grandmother Fa strange, shining fish-like creatures that glided along a star-filled sky.

Grandmother Fa was able to ask Tala of her past and her family. Tala became her guide, helping her manage chores or how to defeat a rowdy village boy.

Grandmother Fa became of age and had to visit the matchmaker. Tala was not enthusiastic about the task but the ghostly woman stopped Grandmother Fa from stumbling in the procession to the matchmaker and reminded her of the words to the final admonition. 

Grandmother Fa's husband was kind and Tala had felt some of her worry dissipate. She had left the estate briefly, but left some of the fish-like creatures for Grandmother Fa to admire.

Life is like the sea, calming waters turned to turbulent waves. It was such when the country was at war and Grandmother Fa spent sleepless nights, sick with worry. Tala would tell her of crossing the sea, the guidance of the stars and how they would survive in even the wildest storms.

It happened again, when Grandmother Fa's legs were shakier and her back curved and Tala had the same appearance. Grandmother Fa's granddaughter had cut her hair and put on her father's armor, going to the war in his place.

Tala had settled by the old woman's bed when she spoke of her worries and her sorrow. 

"She reminds me of my granddaughter," Tala said. "Sometimes it is impossible to fit a stone where you wish for it to go."

She held her old friend's hand and said, "They must train the young soldiers. My Moana did not learn to sail in one day, and Mulan will surely grow in skill."

Tala waited until Grandmother Fa drifted into sleep and quietly called upon her granddaughter. She asked her granddaughter to guide Mulan through the hardship.

When sailing through the sea, one needs guidance whenever they can find it.

**Author's Note:**

> I cried five times watching Moana, which was weird for me because I don't usually cry at media. A day after watching I thought, "Oh I HAVE to make a story where Grandmother Fa and Gramma Tala are friends".


End file.
